by johanniels.com
Anything that is a ‘full frame’ or smaller film or digital camera, goes into this category
What’s up, Doc?
The Leica M3 was a revolutionary design. It had a combined rangefinder and viewfinder, with parallax corrected frames that matched the focal length of the mounted lens automatically. The viewfinder was the brightest ever made. The M3 was the first camera with an advance lever, instead of a knob. It had a rear door that swings up, to make film loading easier. It featured a new and patented bayonet mount.
Featured in this article is a Leica M4 that went through its paces. I always imagine it served in Vietnam, since many photo-journalists who worked there and used Leica’s, chose the M4.
Continue reading “Leica: The incredible M4 can take a beating”
Thinking about buying a Leica body but you are uncertain which model will fit your photography needs best?
This little page conveniently lists the specifications of all ‘regular’ Leica film models, made from 1955 to 2003.
Continue reading “Leica M, complete specifications overview”
Every now and then you see them surface, those expensive and rare Leicas. The Leica Luxus, for instance. Only three of those gold plated Leicas were ever made, and only one of those is known to be in existence today. Or the Wehrmacht, Luftwaffen or Kriegsmarine engraved Leicas of the second World War. But most of the time these ‘rare’ cameras are fakes. How can you tell the true Leicas from the fake ones? A small guide.
Continue reading “Barnack Leica: true or fake? A comprehensive guide”
The history of the Komura brand lenses is little-known. Information on the company and the lenses it produced is difficult to find online. But, many of the Komura lenses are very good, both in build quality and in optical results! This page lists the Komura lenses for Leica cameras, to facilitate finding those lenses online so you can shoot them on your Leica screw mount camera.
The company started out with making lenses for Large Format cameras. But in the 1950s they also started manufacturing rangefinder lenses for Leica thread mount cameras, and switched over to making lenses for Nikon rangefinders in the 1960s. Later, they also manufactured enlarging lenses, lenses for various medium format systems and also briefly produced lenses for various models of SLRs. Komura probably was the first brand to build a 1.4/85mm lens in Nikon F mount!
Continue reading “Komura lenses for Leica cameras, overview”
Konica has always been a company with its own master plan on photography. The release of the Konica Hexar in 1993 came as a surprise to the photography community. The Konica Hexar film camera was shockingly good, despite its quirky button use to set the cameras functions with. It was hailed as the viable alternative for a Leica M6, and AutoFocus too!
In this digital day and era, I feel safe to say the Hexar is the best compact film camera ever produced. Full stop. What, you don’t believe me?
Continue reading “The Konica Hexar AF: the ultimate compact film camera”